Dispensing bottle top



B. J. CHRISTECK ET AL Dec. 8, 1953 DISPENSING BOTTLE TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1949 .[N VENTOQS. .j W

W Mme, BY 0 A T TOQNEY interfitting shells 34 and 35. joined along their 'int'erfitting edgesg" s'uoh as at 36, to provide an airtight sealing relation :au around.

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 OFF I CE DISPEN SING BOTTLE TOP Bruno J; Christcfek and Leonard-zllleban'ek, Chicago, 111.

Application Jul'y '9, 1949,SeriaI' N; 103,832

13"-Claims. 1

This invention Irelates to a. liquid measuring device and it is an 1 object for 7 this" invention to producea self-measuring top for repeatedly dispensing predetermined quantities zof liquid content material, one after' anoth'erarit short 'time intervals, while the-bottle orother vessel containing the liquid- -contentmaterial is held tin 1 pouring position.

Another 1 object is -to produce 1 the self:*meas 'uring repeating top of the-type described, which is'providedwith means for preventingiloss or withdrawal of liquid content material from the bottle or vessel, other than --when-the bottle is held in pouring position.

A further object is 1 to "provide; in combina tion with a self-measuring repeating top or the type described," a *metering device Which automatically records the numberof measured units which have been dispensed from the bottle" top.

These and otherobjects and advantages of actuator whichiorms part of the metering device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the part for adjusting'the'metering device to'adesired starting position;

Figure 5 is anelevational view of the -n'umbered ratchet wheel 'that'is operated by the-actuator and adjusted-by thepart sho'wn'in' Figure 4;

Figure 6- is an *"enlarged sectional "View taken along the line 6-6 ofFigur'l, and

' Figure 7 is' an enlargement of v the valve forming part of the air vent shown in'Fi'gure' l.

As shown in thedrawing, the' dispensi-ngtop embodying features of 'this inventionhasahbllow measuring" chamber 50 f formed by. a pair bf The-' sheils are The assembled top: vhas a tubular projection 5 5 I fittedfw'ith a centrally ap'ertured cap 38 which assists in holding =the shells" 341% arid-35 together. The' prOjection 1 5| .n has "a passageway extending therethrough which receivesnadispensing con- -duit l6 havingsan end -;portion' which extends outwardly from -the2projection as' a" pouring spout I D and auportiom which extends into -the measuring chamber for: a; distance which will herein-after 'be described. The dispensing conduit I6 is arrangedto be disposed iat a vertical angle-with the; spout down when the bottle: --or vessel is raised to pouring a position 'and "60 be downwardly inclined with the spout uppermost when the bOtillEiiS returned to upright. position.

= In a this; position' any liquid that might :be dis- 'posed within the 'conduit'will -drain back into' the bottle.

Anotherprojection: 52 extends =downwardly from the lowers;portionflofimhe: assembly top: and it is providedwith' a pair of"-adjoiningi passageways, one of which is adaptedntoi'pass a'short supplyipipe lathroughiwhich liquid content material drains frQm the bDttIeJ to i the measuri-ng chamber when the bottle-is raised.) to 'pouring position. pass an: air "pipe I I which has its: outlet located inthe lower-portion of the bottle and its inlet :in communicatiori w itl'ithe base of- -the measuring 1 cap I Bibi-the usual sipho'n.

The other L' passageway is adapted to The pipes l3 and l1 also eirtend through a cork- 39 which is ad 'ted' -to flt' the "-neck of a Jb'er' 31 is provided ab'o'ut the projection 52 to a's'sist J in holding the "shells-together and with the packing lfl' it establishes a-sealing relation with the cork 39to prevent the admission of I air which i Would-otherwiseinterfere with the operation of the-measuring device.

' of the'eup' sot-that any 11:160 ther airapipe 2 I1? whenithe -1=bott1e is in uprightposition.

closed at the lower end by -wall 53. The 'cup member is' -dispos'ed' at an angle cor-responding to that of the dispensing conduit lfi. T-he co'nduit 6 extends through the upper open end of thereof, and. the inlet l 4 01 the air -pipe I 1' is also located F in this sazme? region, but -the "end of the air pipelisita ered to bring its lower-edge all and the rearward" wall i'quidin the cupwill' drain The.measuring chamber SIFintthe cap iS vented, to the atmosphere through -apertu1'e 9-- located in the shellwait opposite:tth a'pm m 5 1 I prevent inadvertent 1ossi 0r escape'lofqiquid from ."lihe measuringchamber '-whetherr:'or no't -the 'botstantially vertical. passes through the conduit [6, through the cup 55 which communicates the measuring chamber 50 with a venting chamber 54 into which the vent 9 leads. The valve member shown is in the form of a ball 3! housed for slight movement within an enclosure defined by the front wall of the chamber 54 and vertically spaced horizontally disposed upper and lower walls 56 and 5?. The upper wall has a depending end flange 58 and the lower wall has a rim 58a which provides a socket for the ball when the bottle is in the upright position. The ball prevents the use of the vent hole as a means for removing the liquid, even when the container is in an inverted pouring position. While seated in the socket the ball 3| closes the vent 55 thereby to prevent loss of content material. Responsive to gravitational force, the ball moves away from the vent open ing when the bottle is raised to pouring position. It will be understood that other valve means may be provided in the passage to give a corresponding effect.

To prevent the escape of content material from the dispensing conduit IS, the conduit is provided with a ball 28 arranged within the conduit between a cross rod 30 and a tapered sleeve 29 in the conduit. The cross rod 30 prevents loss of the ball when the bottle is raised to pouring position and the ball seats in the sleeve 29 when the bottle is other than in pouring position, thereby to close the opening through the conduit l6 and prevent 1 the escape or loss of content material.

A bafile I is provided in the lower portion of the measuring chamber. The bafiie extends from the forward wall of the cap and beyond the supply and air pipes l3 and I1 and it is downwardly inclined to drain content. material in the measuring chamber toward the pipes when the bottle is in. upright position.

The measuring device operates on a siphon principle. For pouring, the bottle is tilted to a position whereby the spout I0 is ,down and the dispensing conduit l and the cup l5 are sub- When in this position, air

l5, into air pipe I1, to replace liquid content material which drains through the supply pipe 13 into the measuring chamber 50.

Filling of the measuring chamber continues in this manner until the level of the liquid rises to the inlet end of the conduit l6, whereupon siphoning commences. I to rise through the conduit I6 or enter the cup l5 from the vent 9. Thus, air is out off from the At this point, air is unable chamber continues until the fluid level has reached the lower open edge of the cup member l5, whereupon air passage to the air pipe H is reestablished and fluid no longer passes through the conduit. This frees the conduit for air supply and the described cycle is repeated.

This consecutive filling and siphoning of measured quantities of content material continues so long as the bottle is ;held in pouring position. It will be evident that the amount of liquid entering the measuring chamber is constant and precletermined by the length of the cup I5 and the distance which the conduit 16 extends into the cup. The time lag'occasioned for refilling the measuring chamber before siphoning can again take place is usually suflicient for changing receiving vessels, if desired. In the event that the time lag is insuflicient, it may be slowed by various means designed to restrict the flow of content material into the measuring chamber, such as by restricting the rate of air flow into the bottle or by restricting the rate at which content material may drain from the bottle into the measuring chamber.

To record the number of cycles through which the dispenser has gone, the measuring chamber is provided with an actuator arranged therein comprising a float l8 carried on one end of a pair of V-shaped lever arms 59 and 60 having outturned ends GI and 62 respectively pivotally mounted in suitable bearings formed in the shell walls. A spring dog 2| is carried by one of the arms 60 intermediate its ends. The spring dog normally rests on a pin 22 but when the float rises with the level of liquid in the measuring chamber, the operative end 63 of the spring dog engages one of the numbered rack teeth 23 arranged in measured spaced relation about the periphery of a ratchet wheel 64 which is mounted on the some float arm for free turning movement.

Inadvertent turning movement of the ratchet wheel is prevented by a lock spring 24 which is se cured at one end to the underside of wall 56; The free end of the lock spring engages the rack teeth to provide a steadying action. The ratchet wheel 64 is formed of one tooth missing, as at 26 before the zero position, to prevent the spring dog 2| from actuating the ratchet wheel beyond the highest numbered tooth. Numbers 32 may be applied to indicate each tooth or to indicate a certain number of teeth, as shown in Figure 5. Numbering may be accomplished with substances visible in ordinary daylight or they may be formed of fluorescent materials visible only under black light.

The ratchet wheel is adjusted to indicate a desired number by an adjusting bracket shown in Figure 4 which is disposed within the area defined between the baflie l0 and the lower wall of the cup. The adjuster consists of another spring dog 25 on the outer end of a body portion 65 which is pivoted from the slotted portion 66 about the air pipe [1. The other end is provided with an upturned spring member 61 which engages the under side of the baffle 10 in a manner constantly to urge the adjuster to rock in a counterclockwise direction. To adjust the ratchet wheel, it is necessary to work through the sup ply tubing 13 with a rod, indicated by the numeral H. The rod is actuated to the end portion 25 causing the adjuster to rock in a clockwise direction and bring the upturned end 61 into onerative engagement with an adjacent tooth. The ratchet wheel is turned one step responsive to the spring action upon withdrawal of the rod II.

This arrangement permits accurately dispensing measured amounts of content material in repeated fashion with means embodied within the device accurately to record the number of units which have been dispensed. Such recording cannot be disturbed other than by removal of the measuring cap which would be indicated by breaking the seal formed thereon, indicated by the numeral [2. To prevent actuation of the ratchet wheel by any other manner than by raising the bottle to pouring position a pivoted stop 21 is provided having a free end portion 68 which extends into the path of the float 18 while the bottle is in upright position. The stop is in the form of a bell shape lever suspended intermediate its ends over the pin 69 extending from the shell 115 wall. 'Thedependingporti'on Not the bell lever f.is"weighted"torockthe stop out 'ofposition; as ""shownby the broken lines, when thebottleis "raised to pouring position. This "permits "the heat 18 to rise to the position "shown by v the broken lines as the levelof the liquid rises inthe measuring chamber. The actuator therefore can only operate to turn the ratchet wheelresponsive to the risein liquid level when the bottle is'raised to pouringposition.

"From this descriptionit will'be apparent that ""wehave provided a new and improved dispenser top for repeatedlydispensing measured quantities of content material'whilethe' bottle'is held in pouringposition. Our device embodies features which'prevent loss of content material from the "cap through any intention by the operator other 'than for dispensing measured quantities of liquid f wh'ich are automatically calculated and recorded 3 by reaction of elements'embodied therein.

It will be understood that numerouschanges maybe made in'the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from "'the'spirit of the invention, especially as defined "in the following claims.

"What is claimed is:

1;' In a measuring device of the typedescribed operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of'the content material from the measuring che mber through a dispensing conduit while the'device is in dispens- '.ing position, an indicator from which the number of units dispensed may be read, means responsive to. the filling of the measuring chamber with the predetermined increment of liquid for operating "the indicator to record such filling, a ratchet "operative on the indicator and a pawl biased into engagement with the ratchet to prevent inadvertent adjustment of the indicator to make a differi ent'showing.

2, In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principlefor repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content materiel from a vessel into a measuring chamber. provided with'an air inlet to maintain -.atmospheric conditions within said chamber and external force when the'device is free of the veseel to effect adjustmentof the indicator to adesired showing. 7

3, In combination with a measuring device of the type described which operates on a siphon rprinci ple' for repeatedly measuring out predetermined increments of liquid content-material from a vessel into ameasuring chamber and automa ically dispensing a measuredquantity of the conte nt material from the measured. chamber when said chamber becomesfille'd with 'theprdetermined quantity; a" registration deviee-arraneed I Within measuring Chamber for'recordingthe "number of units which has been-" dispensed ineluding a numbered ratchet wheel mounted operative with the float to engagethe ratchet wheel, and advance saidwheelone increment as the float rises to the level corresponding-to a desired increment of content material within the measuring chamber,

41in combinationwith a measuring device of the type 'described'which' operates on a siphon principle for repeatedly "measuring out predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a; measuring chamber and automatically dispensing ameasured quantity'ofthe' content material from the measured chamberwhen said chamber becomes filled with the predetermined quantity, a registration device arranged within the measurin chamber for recording the number of' units which has been dispensed including a numbered'ratchet wheelmounted within the chamber for free turning movement, a float responsive to the level of the content material within the measuring-chamber; a dog openative with the float to engage the ratchet wheel, and advance said wheel one increment as the float rises to the level'c'orresponding to a desired increment or content material within the measuring chamber, and aspring lever fixed'atone end to a wall of the .devicewhile the other end tensionally engages the" ratchet wheelto militate against movement other than'that responsive-to the float while the device is in the mounted relation on the vessel.

5. In combination'with' a measuring device-oi the type described which operates on asiph'on principle for repeatedly measuring out predetermined increments of liquid contentmaterialfrom a vessel into a measuring chamber and automatically dispensing a measured quantity of the content material from the measured chamber when said chamber becomes filled'with the predetermined quantity, a registration devicearr'anged within the measuring chamber for recording'the number of units which "has been dispensed including a numbered ratchet wheel mounted within the chamber for free turning movement, a float responsive to the level of the content material within 'themea'suring chamber, a dog operative with the float to engage the ratchet wheel, and advance said wheel one increment-asthe float rises to the level corresponding to adesir'ed increment of content material within the measuring chamber, and a dog engageable with the rack teeth of the indicator, said 'dog having a spring pressed portion whiclr'is' accessible only when the device is free of the vessel to operate the do for engaging successive teeth whereby the indicator may be'adjuste'dto anydesired-posi-tion.

6. In combination with ameasuring d'eviceof the type described which operates on a" siphon i principle for repeatedly measuring out predeter- 'mined incrementsof liquid content material from a've'ss'el into a measuringchambe'r and automat- 'ically dispensing a measured quantity of the confloat responsive to the level of the content material within the measuring chamber, a dog operative with the float to engage the ratchet wheel, and advance said wheel one increment as the float rises to the level corresponding to a desired increment of content material within the measurin chamber, a crank lever pivoted intermediate its ends with the depending arm weighted to urge the arm toward vertical position responsive to gravitational forces, the other arm extending angularly therefrom into the path of the float when the device is in other than dispensing position and to be rocked from the path of the float when the device is in dispensing position.

7. In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing measured quantity of the content material from the measuring chamber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, an indicator from which the number of units dispensed may be read, means responsive to the filling of the measuring chamber with the predetermined increment of liquid for operating the indicator to record such filling, means resiliently engaging the indicator to prevent inadvertent adjustment thereof to make a different showing, means operative from an external source when the device is free of the vessel to adjust the indicator to a desired showing, valve means in the conduit substantially to close the passage therethrough while the device is in other than in dispensing position.

3, In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of the content material from the measuring chamber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, an indicator from which the number of units dispensed may be read, means responsive to the filling of the measuring chamber for operating the indicator comprising a float responsive to the level of content material within the measuring chamber, an operative connection between the float and the indicator for effecting the desired registration when the float has risen to the desired level, means resiliently engaging the indicator to prevent inadvertent adjustment thereof to make a different showing, and means operative from an external source when the device is free of the vessel to adjust the indicator to a desired showing.

9. In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of the content material from the measuring chamber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, an indicator from which the number of units dispensed may be read, means responsive to the filling of the measuring chamber for operating the indicator comprising a float ill the desired registration when the float has risen to the desired level, means resiliently engaging the indicator to prevent inadvertent adjustment thereof to make a different showing, and a stop pivotally mounted in the measuring chamber to militate against movement of the float to indicating position While the device is in other than pouring position.

10. In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of. liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of content material from the measuring chamber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, a valve assembly including a ball member, a compartment within the chamber having passages which communicate the air inlet with the measuring chamber and in which the ball member is confined, a ball socket in a compartment wall adjacent one of said passages and wherein the ball normally seats when the device is in other than pouring position to close the adjacent passage and prevent flow of fluids therethrough, and means within the compartment limiting movement of the ball member out of the socket when the device is in dispensing position for opening the passage to establish communication between the measuring chamber and the inlet.

ll. In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of the content material from the measuring cham ber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, an indicator from which the number of units dispensed may be read, means responsive to the filling of the measuring chamber with the predetermined increment of liquid for operating the indicator to record such filling, means resiliently engaging the indicator to prevent inadvertent adjustment thereof to make a different showing, and means including a spring pressed lever pivoted to a central portion of a housing assembly and having a spring dog at one end and a platform at the other, andian operative connection between the dog and the indicator to return same to zero position responsive to actuation of the platform from the under side of the device when free of the vessel with which it is adapted to be used.

12. In a measuring device of the type described operating on a siphon principle for repeatedly measuring predetermined increments of liquid content material from a vessel into a measuring chamber provided with an air inlet to maintain atmospheric conditions within said chamber and dispensing a measured quantity of the content material from the measuring chamber through a dispensing conduit while the device is in dispensing position, a valve operating in the air inlet to close the inlet and prevent escape of liquid content material while the device is in other than dispensing position and including a compartment within the measuring chamber having passages which communicate the air vent with the measuring chamber, a ball confined within the compartment and movable to a position which closes one of the passages, when the device is in other than dispensing position and movable to a position away from the passage when the device is in dispensing position.

13. A measuring device as claimed in claim 12 in which the compartment is dimensioned to permit slight movement of the bail between its top and bottom wall and a socket is provided in the bottom wall in which the ball rests when the device is in other than dispensing position.

BRUNO J. CHRISTECK. LEONARD Z. PLEBANEK.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number 15 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Compton et a1 May 24, 1870 Rogers Feb. 5, 1884 Togna Aug. 20, 1912 Ross Aug. 19, 1913 Ollagnow Feb. 2, 1937 Sprunger Mar. 7, 1939 Schneider Mar. 12, 1940 Zehring May 14, 1946 Legarra May 25, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Italy Feb. 19, 1932 

